Race Gender
There are those who say but do you think America can handle a black man a-n-d a woman at the same time? The suggestion is that if Barack is the nominee, he should not pick Hillary as running mate. The alternate suggestion is that if Hillary is the nominee, she should not pick Barack as her running mate.
I am absolutely for a race gender coalition. This is not identity politics to me. If it were, I would say, let's have a black guy, white guy ticket, but I am not saying that. For me this is part and parcel of being a progressive. Progressive white guys, if they truly are progressive, will have to agree that a race gender coalition is not an anti white male suggestion any more than anti-segregation was an anti white thing.
Race is a really, really big issue. Gender is a really, really big issue. And that is precisely why both have to be tackled together. If you tackle only one, you will not make as much progress as if you tackled both together. So if you are for making major progress on race, you have to be for a race gender coalition. And if you are for making major progress on gender, you have to be for a race gender coalition.
Race and gender are identity, big time. But I am not talking identity. I am talking policy. Making progress on race is a progressive cause, it is not a black cause. Making progress on gender is a progressive cause, it is not a women's cause.
Progressive Political Religion: No Place For Superpowers
Both Barack and Hillary have acted like the less they talk about race and gender, the better it is. The important point is to get elected as a black man, as a woman, than it is to talk race and gender. And that might be smart politics. But there is a part of me that itches to have full blown conversations on race and gender. You don't make progress on race by talking about the weather. You don't make progress on gender by talking about the weather.
Tackling Race As An Issue The Average Person Way
The Grassroots Power Woman
Muscular Gender Agenda
I feel like there is an urgent need to declare a global war on domestic violence with a just say no kind of firmness. And I don't mean just domestic violence, big as that problem is: more than a third of the women in India end up getting beat up by their husbands. I am also talking the global trafficking of women. Which is worse, picking cotton or getting raped under bondage?
Global Trafficking Of Women
Women in America face gender as an issue on a daily basis. This country is nowhere close to resolving family and career as issues. Women end up facing a false choice. The outwardly suggestion is that women are free to pursue careers. But the reality is, well, not really. The American workplace has been designed for bodies that do not bear children. That is fundamentally wrong. Birthing children should not hamper your career at all. Both spouses should take maternity leaves. Both spouses should share the raising of children. There is a part about redesigning the workplace, and telecommuting options should make it easier over time. But then there is the part about changing gender attitudes of men. Men need to go to class on gender.
And then there are the legal battles waiting to take place on the question of equal pay. Sexism is a tool designed to give women less money for the same work. Racism is also a tool like that.
The important thing is to stake out policy positions that will take race and gender to the next level, and then to build progressive coalitions around those policy positions. So progress on race is not about saying, okay, black people, holler up. Progress on gender is not just about sounding a wake up call for women. We are not talking identity politics, we are talking issue politics, we are talking policy politics. Although there is not escaping identity politics when talking race and gender.
Sexism is not good for men, it is unhealthy, it is suffocating. Racism is not good for white people.
So making progress on race and gender is about building a progressive coalition of men and women, white and nonwhite.
Black Hispanic
I am surprised there is no major effort at the community level of black community leaders supporting Obama reaching out to the Hispanic communities across the country. Instead of the feeling that we are both Blac - Black, Latino, Asian Coalition - there is almost this antagonism among blacks and Hispanics. Who is the bigger minority? They ask each other in a foolish way. Both of you are minority, big time. That is a sign of a lack of political consciousness that such an antagonism exists.
Don't Do The Bill Richardson Thing
Barackface: Blacks, Hispanics At The Core Of The Democrat Rainbow ...
Minority Women
Black men and white women have the privilege of debating which is the bigger issue. Between those two groups, race is. But minority women don't have the privilege of asking that question. They are at the receiving end of both. A race gender ticket is needed for minority women more than for black men and white women.
Race Gender Coalition Got The Numbers
Between them, they got 65% of the country, and that is not even counting the progressive white men. Going together is the only way for Barack and Hillary to move forward to make the big gains they want to make on behalf of historically marginalized groups.
Only if both are in the White House together they will feel bold enough to give both race and gender the boldness they ask for. It is about time. Let's shape the 21st century as the one when race and gender no longer mattered, race and gender no longer held you back.
Grassroots Organizing
Barack will need more of that as president than while running for president. The black community has got to build family and community for the sake of it, to make use of opportunities that already exist, and to fight to expand the opportunities for blacks at all levels. One medicine for three challenges.
Tackling Race As An Issue The Average Person Way
New York City Women
Women in NYC have to take the lead on behalf of women nationwide. You build a huge, leaderless organization that is seamless 2.0 and 5.0. I believe that is the best way to make progress on gender. Women in NYC need to reach out to women in small town America. There is a culture among politically active women in NYC that says we just get together and socialize and partake in small political action, with the emphasis on socializing. I am all for socializing. But when it takes so little extra effort to reach out to women in small town America, why will you not do it as residents of the progressive capital of America and the world?
Martha Outed Kenton And Women With Issues
Michelle's Time To Shine
If Barack wants to carry February 5, he has to make sure America learns two things before then, that his mother was white, and that his wife is a South Side native, she really knows what it means to grow working class.
NYC Effort For Obama
From day one I have refused to sit on any committee, become part of any structure, refused any leadership role. But I have been big for Barack from day one. Of course there are so many more Obama volunteers today in the city than there were only a few months back. So many new leaders have emerged. And that is great. I try to show up and experience events, get to know a few people, collect a few emails to share my blog, but primarily I keep looking at the big picture to offer tips to the people running the show at the Chicago headquarters. I act like I were Obama 2008's self-proclaimed shadow national campaign manager. 2.0 makes that possible. If what you have to say is important, word will get through.
Yesterday I went to an Obama event. There were a few old-timers, but mostly I saw new faces. Mostly people who had come in after Barack's Iowa victory. I expect the crowd to swell during the final week before February 5.
It was a good event on West Houston. This guy Todd was the organizer, Brooklyn dude. I met some interesting people. I am so glad I went. I need to go to many more of these events to build my social muscles. I sure am going to the big rally tomorrow. (Barackface: Building Social Muscles)
I will have to work hard to get back my easy social ways of back in the days. I am recuperating. Physical exercise helps, eating oranges helps, but face time is where it really happens. You end up with many awkward moments while you are working at it.
"I am a nobody. I got a young startup."
"No, I am not Republican." The response I got to that was, I wouldn't give a damn even if you were.
I don't know where that comes from. I have got that a few times before. At Barack's Washington Square Park rally, one dude asked me if I was a Ron Paul supporter. Once I was in the Bronx for Fernando Ferrer, and one guy said to me earnestly, "Take Bloomberg's money if he gives it to you, just don't do the work." The first time Rudy, the state director for Obama 2008, met me, he asked me if I was a "spy!" Spy for who? Hillary? Rudy? My blog cured him, but that was an interesting start.
Once not long after I cut my hair short, I showed up at Drinking Liberally, and these two women were talking to each other, once in a while glancing at me: "Bloomberg has infiltrated the liberal groups in the city!"
It is not like I dress fancy. I am blaming Bobby Jindal.
Barackface: NYC, Obama, Structure, Me
Leah and Sylvan were there. Arthur was there. Sylvan said, "Come to the rally tomorrow with your video camera." Sure will. Leah asked me about my company.
"I found a great business partner. And that is making all the difference."
In The News
South Carolina Democrats Head to Polls After Spirited Campaign U.S. News & World Report Obama had 38 percent, Clinton 30, and Edwards 19, with blacks overwhelmingly backing Obama and whites split between Edwards and Clinton. ...... much of the talk in the past few days has focused on former President Bill Clinton, who has gone on the attack against Obama, prompting some of his ex-advisers and friends to say he is going too far with his harsh tone ...... He's playing the role of a vice presidential candidate, the attack dog. He is becoming too much of an issue ..... accused Obama, his wife's main rival, of putting out a "hit job" on him. He also scolded a CNN reporter in South Carolina for playing up the racial issue, which he said the Obama campaign was "feeding" the media. ...... the Clinton strategy is working, at least in the short term, by causing Democrats to have second thoughts about Obama. To that end, the Clintons are questioning his experience, his toughness, his commitment to "progressive" ideas, and his electability. ...... "Obama is going to have to do something dramatic, something that shows he represents a new politics, or Hillary is going to win" ....... Clinton is favored to win the biggest states that have primaries on February 5, when 24 states will hold contests. Among her strong spots are California, New York, and New Jersey. It turns out that Clinton is benefiting from a sorting-out process within the Democratic Party. While African-Americans and many young people are gravitating toward Obama, Clinton is gaining support from women, Hispanics, and blue-collar workers
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